AzerGold Closed Joint Stock Company has commenced the second stage of geological research – preliminary exploration – at the Tutkhun gold deposit in the Kalbajar district, which is part of the administrative territory of East Zangazur.

AzerGold CJSC completed the first stage of research and assessment in the 5,703-hectare area of Tutkhun that had been cleared of land mines and unexploded military ordnance, out of a total area of 27,360 hectares. In the second stage, drilling works have now started. Following this, the initial volume of ores will be determined, and metallurgical studies will be conducted to ascertain the quantity of metal that can be extracted from the ore. Concurrently, the removal of land mines and unexploded ordnance continues in the Tutkhun area, followed by geological surveys by AzerGold.

AzerGold is applying innovative exploration methods to minimize the time required for clearing land mines. In 2022, for the first time in the Caucasus region, non-invasive hyperspectral imaging was carried out over an area of 1,624 km2, covering not only the Kalbajar district but also part of the Lachin district. This approach allowed for a more focused research effort, skipping extensive and costly drilling works and concentrating on smaller areas with precise coordinates.

The Tutkhun area is located in the basin of the Tutkhun River, a right tributary of the Tartarchay River in Kalbajar. Based on the results of research and the digitization of geological materials from 1958 to 1990, deposits of gold, silver, and copper minerals of industrial significance are predicted in the area.